Husband’s Surprise Valentine’s Trips Put Everyone Else to Shame
Elaine Houghton doesn’t know where her husband Ron is taking her for Valentine’s Day until they get on the plane. (Photo: Channel5)
So you think you
have a romantic plan for Valentine’s Day this year? This guy has been killing
it for the last 12 years with the gift of travel.
Ron Houghton of Liverpool, England, surprises his wife,
Elaine, with a Valentine’s Day jaunt every year – and she doesn’t know where
they’re going until they sit on the plane. Their destinations have included
France, Latvia, Belgium, Venice, Germany, and Egypt.
Ron and Elaine, aged 73 and 56, have been doing this for the
12 years since they met. Ron’s trick is having the Liverpool airport staff
black out the destination on their boarding passes, so Elaine has no idea where
they’re going until the flight attendant onboard announces it.
Ron, a retired prison officer, does give Elaine some packing
advice based on the weather, but as Elaine told The
Daily Mail, “Even if he says it’s warm I still pack
a few jumpers, because I don’t trust him at all.”
The couple are being featured on a local reality show. Ron says the
first time he tried surprising Elaine with a trip to Dublin, it almost
backfired at the airport because Elaine is afraid of flying. But once he
persuaded her, she loved the idea as much as she loves him.
“Ron is a real romantic,” she told The Daily Mail of when
they first met. “He took me for my favorite chip-shop tea and ice-cream parlor
once a week. He was so thoughtful. “Even now, he makes sure I always have fresh
flowers. He opens doors and treats me like a real lady.”
If you’re a die-hard Panthers or Broncos fan and want to be
in the Bay Area for Super Bowl 50, you might have noticed that it won’t be
cheap. Aside from the $5,000 tickets, hotels are
selling out at inflated rates, leaving rental sites such as Airbnb as a
next resort.
Knowing the demand, Bay Area homeowners and renters are looking
for a gold rush of income – by
one count, local Airbnbs were going for an average of $363 per night – a
76.2 percent spike from the following weekend’s rates.
If you’re hell-bent on being in town, you’ll want to choose
your rental wisely depending on your plans — Oakland and the rest of the East
Bay will be cheaper on average, but they’re also farther away from the game, which takes place in
Santa Clara.
If you’re still on the hunt for a good bed to temporarily
call home, we’ve rounded up some available Airbnb rentals across the Bay Area, private
and shared, in some different price ranges (prices don’t include fees and
taxes, so beware). Note: Some of these may have been
snapped up since presstime:
This private guest space inside the host’s home is in the
Inner Sunset, one of the quieter parts of the city, in case you want to chill
out from Super Bowl madness. There’s also a private deck and garden.
This condo is in the Outer Richmond neighborhood, which is even farther
away from downtown than the previous rental, but what you’re getting for the price
is a solid value. And it’s very accessible to Golden Gate
Park and Lands End.
“We are no Ritz-Carlton or Four Seasons,” the ad says,
though the price sure applies for this weekend. Nevertheless, if you’re
planning to take Caltrain to Santa Clara for the game, this one-bedroom rental
is an ideal spot just walking distance away. The room itself is hardly fancy,
though it does have a cute entryway.
If proximity to the game is your top priority, this pricey
one-bedroom apartment will be your kind of place — it’s about a 15-minute walk
away. Rowdy fans be warned: No Super Bowl parties are allowed here.
Another good listing for those who want to be close to the stadium,
although you’ll be sharing this two-bedroom apartment. It includes a bedroom and
bathroom to yourself, plus kitchen, gym, and a 50-inch TV with Netflix.
This “cottage” is in a cute San Jose neighborhood called
Willow Glen, and you’ll be walking distance from some appealing dining options. Which is
a good thing, because there’s no stove here. It’s 10 miles from Levi’s Stadium,
so you won’t face too much traffic hassle.
This is just steps away from Stanford Stadium — which, for
you trivia buffs, hosted Super Bowl XIX in 1985. You’ll be in the heart of Palo
Alto’s downtown nightlife, and about 14 miles from Levi’s Stadium. This
might be the highest price you ever pay for a studio, but at least we like the
look of it.
This is in a cul-de-sac in a quieter part of Palo Alto than
the first listing. The space and amenities are all modern, with a king-size bed, stainless-steel appliances, and hardwood floors.
What you’ll lack in proximity to the game (Levi’s is about
46 miles away), you’ll gain in living space: two bedrooms, a large patio, and
barbecue grill, plus proximity to San Francisco a short BART
ride away. There’s even a wood-fired pizza oven if you want to make your own
pie.
This Rockridge listing is one of the better-looking
basements we’ve seen, and boasting 1,000 square feet and a new interior, the price is
right. Dining and nightlife are close by, as is BART. There’s even a Ping-Pong
table, should football bore you.
You definitely don’t want to stay here if you plan on being
near the game, but this is one sweet-looking rustic rental in a secluded
neighborhood near the UC-Berkeley campus. It has some history too: it belonged
to the late Bernard Maybeck, who designed the famous Palace of Fine Arts in San
Francisco.
WATCH: Drinking with the Giants’ World Series Trophy on a Plane Was My Dream Trip
The updated livery and logo on Alaska Airlines, including the Eskimo logo that has been there since 1972. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
A company rebranding campaign turned into a P.R. mess for
Alaska Airlines this week, leading its CEO to apologize for a website reference
to the Alaska Native face on its planes’ tail as “our Eskimo,” while other
Alaska Natives complained about the use of the image entirely.
The airline has long referred to the face, which debuted on
its planes in 1972, as “the Eskimo,” and there’s a
video on Alaska Airlines’ website about it and how it’s inspired by the
state’s Native heritage. But the most recent brand refresh, including a slight
redesign to the plane, included the phrase “meet our Eskimo” on the company
website.
The implication of possession upset Alaska Natives, who
voiced their displeasure on Facebook and Twitter, including a #NotYourEskimo
hashtag, as well as an online
petition. The phrasing was later removed.
“When Alaska Airlines
unveiled our refreshed brand earlier this week, a reference we used, ‘Meet our
Eskimo,’ offended many in the Alaska Native community, and likely others,”
Alaska Air Group CEO Brad Tilden said in a statement. “We apologize and take
full responsibility for this insensitive reference.”
Annie Wilcoxson
Wenstrup, an Alaska Native, voiced her displeasure on
Facebook, posting, “I want to like your new rebranding campaign… Claiming
the image of an indigenous person is troubling enough. The possessiveness of
your ‘Meet Our Eskimo’ is dehumanizing.”
In an interview with
the Alaska
Dispatch News, Wenstrup added, “I think it’s time to start phasing (the
Eskimo logo) out,” she said. “I think it has a lot of warm and fuzzy feelings
because we’re used to it, but you’re using a minority’s image to support a
corporate brand, and they’re profiting off that.”
Other Alaska Natives
on social media have
supported the use of the term “Eskimo,” and Alaska Airlines says they
decided to keep using the term after conducting focus groups with Native
leaders in the state.
WATCH: 4 Hacks to Help you Breeze Through Airport Security
Super Bowl 50 in San Francisco is a touchy subject among the
locals. For one thing, it’s not in
San Francisco (the game is in Santa Clara), yet it’s costing the city almost
$5 million for all the pregame hoopla there.
That hoopla includes some gaudy gold Super Bowl statues,
including one in heavily touristed Alamo Square Park. We don’t know if this was
a case of angry civic-minded citizens or some thrill-seeking vandals, but that
statue was defaced in a snarky, San Francisco way.
The lettering in “Super Bowl” was switched to read, “Superb
Owl,” and there’s more: the gold aluminum paneling was ripped out from one of
the numbers, the solar panels near the bottom were stolen, and the Super Bowl
crest on the side was scratched through, as were the gold coins within the
numbers.
The signs were reportedly covered with some graffiti as
well, but they’re designed to be graffiti-resistant, so those marks were easily
removed.
Update: The Super Bowl statue at City Hall was also vandalized. The Scrabble play this time? From “Super Bowl” to “Sup Bro.” We’ll give them a triple-word score on that one.
Bedbugs aren’t a big concern when you travel … unless you
get them. Then they’re a blood-sucking nightmare, and they won’t just ruin your
trip — they can ruin your life for months afterward if they hitch a ride home
with you.
Don’t think you’ll find them only in a two-bit motel — there
are well-documented cases of tourists
having their upscale hotel getaways ruined by massive bedbug bites. And it’s
no use traveling to a region that’s bedbug-free: The
data says they can be found all over the U.S.
What’s the best way to weed out these tiny critters? We love
this
video demonstration from the University of Maine, in which Jim Dill, an expert
with a sweet New England accent, shows us how to look for bedbugs upon first
checking into a hotel.
We combine his tips along with some other expert advice into
a step-by-step guide for avoiding a bedbug-infested holiday:
Put your bags in the
tub, away from the luggage rack
Bedbugs can hide in luggage racks too. (Photo: Getty Images)
This should be the first thing you do after checking in, and
it’s often not mentioned. While a luggage rack may be away from the bed and
elevated, bedbugs could easily be hiding out within the fabric of the straps.
To be extra safe, put your bags in the bathroom tub, which bedbugs are
unlikely to climb into.
Cindy Mannes, vice president of public affairs for the National Pest Management Association, also
says you could leave your bags at the door when you first check in: “Just
don’t unpack anything until you’ve checked for bedbugs,” she told Yahoo
Travel.
Start your inspection
by checking the headboard
(Photo: Scott Higdon/LuckyPix/Corbis)
Bedbugs don’t stray far from the bed — as Dill says, their
range is about 20 feet away from their host — but they’re sneaky and can play
hide-and-seek better than any 5-year-old.
Take a flashlight (if you have a smartphone, it probably has
one) and get a good look at the headboard, which is a common hiding spot, and
don’t forget to look in the creases.
“Many people overlook the headboard because it can be
difficult to remove from the wall to examine it,” Louis N. Sorkin,
BCE, a consulting entomologist with Entsult
Associates, told Yahoo Travel.
And just to digress for a minute,
Sorkin should know bedbugs well — he stores thousands of them at home for
study and keeps them alive by letting
them feed on him, since he doesn’t react adversely to bites. Chuck Norris
has nothing on Louis N. Sorkin.
As for what bed bugs can look like, their size and color can depend on whether they’re an adult or immature, or whether they’ve recently fed. The common rule of thumb is that they’re the size and shape of an appleseed, but Sorkin has posted examples of how that’s not necessarily so. They can be flat or plump in shape, and pale or reddish-brown in color.
Check
the piping of the mattress
(Photo: iStock)
The crevices of a mattress’s piping make for a great bedbug
hideout, so take off the sheets and look closely at the top and bottom parts.
Check the mattress or
mattress pad for blood spots or poop
(Photo: iStock)
We know, this isn’t the most romantic way to begin a hotel
stay, but other than seeing the bugs themselves, this is the best giveaway of
whether any bedbugs have been feeding recently. The bloodstains can be red or brown, and the bedbugs’ poop can look like magic marker dots or marks, or raised mounds, Sorkin said. The poop residue will be light-to-dark brown or black.
Check the nearby
drawers and nightstand
(Photo: Getty Images)
These make for another nice, dark hiding spot for bedbugs.
Don’t just look on the corners of the inside — to be really thorough, take the
drawers out from the nightstand and look under them too.
Check all other prime
hiding spots
This could include the aforementioned luggage rack, bed
frame, picture frames, and anything else within a few feet of the bed.
What if, gasp, you
find bedbugs when you check in?
What a typical adult bedbug looks like. (Photo: adrian davies/Alamy Stock Photo)
I’ll share a semi-embarrassing story: Last year I stayed at
a boutique hotel in British Columbia, and minutes after checking in I saw some
apple-seed-size, orange-brown bugs on the window and the windowsill.
So I did what any sane person would do: I freaked out,
zipped up the bags I had placed on the floor, and ran down to the front desk. To
the hotel’s credit, the guy working there immediately came up to my room to check on
the problem. Which, it turns out, was no problem — they were just a species of
ladybug I’d never seen (Canadians!). But he examined the mattress and the room
just to be sure.
Provided what you found are in fact bedbugs, notify the
front desk immediately. It’s probably OK to ask for another room in the hotel,
but make sure it’s not next door or right above or below (and check that room
thoroughly too).
What if, double gasp,
you wake up the next morning with bedbugs?
This is the scarier scenario, because you don’t know where
the bugs might be in your stuff, and you must make sure they don’t leave with
you. Since the hotel is going to owe you one, insist that it launder your clothes
immediately. And washing them isn’t enough: Mannes of the NPMA advises putting
all fabric in a hot dryer for at least 30 minutes and steaming your luggage.
To be extra safe, before returning home place all your
garments in a vacuum-sealed bag and dry them again.
If you’re wondering what bedbug bites look like, Sorkin
keeps an extensive (and gross) collection of photos that
include the bugs, their eggs, and their bite marks. The bites aren’t dangerous for most people — just unsightly and uncomfortable. Some people have harsh skin reactions that will require a doctor visit.
Bonus question: Could
bedbugs hide on your pets?
Both Mannes and Sorkin said this is an unlikely scenario,
but Sorkin added that it’s not impossible.
“There are exceptions where infestations have been allowed
to proliferate due to many reasons,” he said. “Hotel staff haven’t been given
proper education. I’ve seen infestations in homes where people and pet dogs and
cats both had been fed upon over many months or longer.”
So just to be safe, give Checkers a good look before you
check out.
Bonus question No. 2:
How can I research if a hotel has bedbugs?
There are some websites where anonymous guests can report
bedbug infestations at certain hotels, such as BedBugs.net and the Bedbug Registry. But there’s no
way to be sure if the reports are accurate, and ultimately no hotel is 100
percent safe from bedbugs because of how easily they stow away with guests.
Your best bet is to examine the room yourself.
Top Spots to Escape the Cold for President’s Day and Beyond
It’s no gamble that Las Vegas will be a warmer place to visit right now than New York. (Photo: Thinkstock)
Bone-chilling cold weather has been in the headlines often
lately, from Winter Storm Jonas in the
East to Arizona in the West. So where are
people planning to ditch their parkas and escape to?
The travel site Expedia
crunched its flight-booking data for the most popular warm-weather destinations
on its site from January through March. And the biggest winter hotspot, it should be
no surprise, is Las Vegas.
The second-most-booked warm-weather spot is Orlando and all
its Disney attractions. That’s followed by Cancun, Los Angeles, and Miami.
Cancun is the most popular warm-weather destination for President’s Day, according to Expedia. (Photo: Thinkstock)
Drilling down further, Expedia looked at which warm-weather
spots are most in demand for President’s Day weekend. Perhaps because of the
extra travel day south of the border, Cancun comes out on top, followed by
Orlando, Vegas, L.A., and Miami.
If you’re interested in flying someplace with the best hotel
deals, Expedia says the best warm-weather deals can be found in these cities
during the winter: New Orleans, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Phoenix.
WATCH: Fly for Free: 7 Things You Should Always Charge for the Miles
The greatest danger in visiting the Caribbean islands might
not be the frequency of crimes against tourists but in the false sense of
security the region can inspire. In bright sunshine, surrounded by a sparkling sea and
sand, a traveler who wouldn’t think of walking down a deserted street in the U.S. or Europe may feel emboldened to wander down risky paths in what seems like paradise.
This may be exactly what led to the murder of a woman in
Grenada last weekend after she and her husband walked out of public view and down a
deserted stretch of beach. Just as travelers need to stay vigilant in
destinations threatened by ISIS and in their own hometowns, they should not let their guard down in the Caribbean, security and travel
experts advise.
Miami attorney Jim Walker, who documents crime in the Caribbean and
has represented passengers in lawsuits against the cruise industry, calls the
region “pretty but dangerous.”
“U.S. citizens generally think that it
is safe to go to these countries for no reason other than cruise ships travel
there,” he told Yahoo Travel. “But the murder rates throughout the
Caribbean are much higher than anywhere in the U.S., with some countries having
a per capita murder rate as high as the U.S.’s most dangerous cities.”
The beach at La Sagesse resort in Grenada. (Photo: La Sagesse)
This doesn’t mean a person should avoid visiting the
Caribbean. It’s a diverse region with a wide set of risk factors ranging from high to
very low, so it pays to do your homework on where you’re going. The bottom
line is as long as you take simple precautions, such as staying in areas frequented by tourists, your chances of becoming a victim as one of
the 26 million annual visitors arriving here by sea or air are slim.
“I feel very safe in the Caribbean when
traveling on a cruise,” cruise expert Stewart
Chiron told Yahoo Travel. “I’m confident that with constant security
reviews by individual lines that I’ll be as safe as possible.
“There may be ports [where] I’m uncomfortable
to disembark and would remain aboard ship. People should always be vigilant
regardless of where they travel, and determine the risks on their own as
well.”
Chiron gave Nassau in the Bahamas as an example of where
he’d exercise caution, and indeed that’s an oft-cited danger zone in the
Caribbean. Nassau’s homicide rate of 30 people per 100,000 is comparable to that of U.S. cities such as as Miami and Baltimore.
Crime has been a major concern in the port city of Nassau in the Bahamas. (Photo: Thinkstock)
The U.S. State Department has the following to say about the
Bahamas on its
travel site: “The U.S. Embassy has received multiple
reports of tourists robbed at gunpoint or knifepoint in tourist locations in
the downtown areas of Nassau, [including] … the cruise ship docks and the Cable
Beach commerce areas; several of these incidents occurred during daylight
hours.”
This month, the U.S. Embassy in the Bahamas issued a
crime warning related to the sexual assault of an American tourist by a man on
a watercraft. The Associated Press reports five sexual assaults on U.S.
citizens by Nassau Jet Ski operators since July.
The murder in Grenada happened near the famous La Sagesse resort, where the couple had
reportedly checked in the night before. The woman’s body was found in a
mangrove near a deserted stretch of beach about a half-mile from the resort. One
source who was at the resort told the Daily Mail the couple had apparently wandered
just beyond where they would have been in sight of everyone else — past the
mangrove and into a deserted area.
“I’ve been there on previous visits to
La Sagesse, and I always felt a bit spooked on that deserted beach, as if
someone was watching you from the undergrowth,” Sue Hardy told the Daily Mail.
Grenada has been flagged as an island to “keep an eye on in terms of crime and security.” (Photo: Thinkstock)
The husband reportedly escaped and ran for help, but when help came, the woman was found dead. The local site SpiceIslander Talk Shop
reported that the murder weapon was apparently a cutlass, and MTV News Grenada
reported that a recently released ex-convict turned himself in for the crime.
La Sagesse is 12 miles from
Grenada’s capital, St. George’s.
When asked about the attack, Chiron
told Yahoo Travel he considers Grenada to be “a great place to
visit on a cruise. I’m sure lines are monitoring the situation, but I’m
confident no adjustments will be made at this time as it appears to be an isolated
incident.”
International risk management firm iJet recently told
Yahoo Travel it has seen a slight increase in crime in the Caribbean due to
an economic downturn, and that Grenada was an island to “keep an eye on in
terms of crime and security.” The U.S. State department says crime in Grenada
is “mostly opportunistic,” and said that “travelers should
endeavor to stay in well-lit areas, and avoid walking alone whenever possible,
and hotel rooms should remain locked at all times.”
Here are some other parts of the Caribbean that
have been flagged as places to be especially careful:
Trinidad
& Tobago: The State Department’s Overseas Security
Advisory Council (OSAC) gives the island nation a crime rating of “critical,”
adding in
its report, “Crime in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) continues to be a
serious concern, although T&T Police Service 2014 crime statistics show a
decrease in overall serious criminal activity.”
Jamaica has received a “critical” crime rating. (Photo: Thinkstock)
Jamaica: The OSAC likewise gives this
nation a “critical”
crime rating, though it does say most crimes involve “Jamaican-on-Jamaican”
violence. “Some of the major tourist areas
continue to be sites for pickpocketing and petty theft,” the OSAC report says.
“In several cases, armed robberies turned violent when the victims resisted
handing over valuables.”
Whether you visit these places, or places that iJet deems safer — such as the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands, or Aruba — the common-sense
safety tips are the same:
Do not venture anywhere out of well-known tourist areas. If
it looks at all sketchy, that’s probably for a reason.
Whenever possible, leave your valuables at home, including
jewelry and electronic devices. Be cautious about drawing attention to yourself
with flashy clothes or loud behavior.
Always lock your hotel door and use the hotel safe.
On the off chance you are robbed, do not resist. This
is often when petty crimes turn fatal.
Look for travel warnings and advisories from sources such as
the State Department and the OSAC.
All the Coffee You Can Drink at This Remote Colombian B&B
The main house and the pool. (Photo: Hacienda Venecia)
With its bamboo architecture, hammocks facing the
countryside, and peacocks roaming the lawn, Hacienda Venecia has the look and
feel of a place stuck in time. But it’s also part of a major trend in Colombia:
a coffee farm in the country’s famous coffee-growing region for 100 years, only
in the last seven years has it opened itself as a B&B to visitors.
“I was receiving lots of coffee traders from all over the
world and they fell in love with the place,” said Juan Pablo Echeverri, whose
family has owned the farm for 50 years and who has been running it for the past
12. “I started seeing in that time as well, because of the security that Colombia
regained, backpackers coming by.
“I knew all the travelers would start to come sooner or
later. If you manage to convince backpackers, you can convince anyone. Because
backpackers are looking for an authentic experience.”
There’s lots of coffee and hammocks here. (Photo: Greg Keraghosian)
Having recently stayed at Hacienda Venecia, located in
Manizales about 30 minutes from the city center, I can say the experience is
authentic indeed. From the postcard-perfect mountain setting to the education
on coffee production to the rustic-chic Main House, this place demands a visit
if you’re touring the coffee region.
Best of all, guests can have all the farm-grown coffee they
can drink.
Peering into one of the rooms in the main house. (Photo: Greg Keraghosian)
The setup:
Hacienda Venecia is broken up into three kinds of accommodations with breakfast
included for all: the hostel, guest house, and main house – or as Echeverri
calls the choices, “Backpack, Samsonite, and Louis Vuitton.”
The hostel ($9 per night) has three shared dorms that used
to house the farm’s coffee pickers. The guest house (around $30 with breakfast)
has seven rooms, and the elegant main house ($100 to $130) has another six
rooms, three of which have private bathrooms.
The courtyard at the hostel. (Photo: Greg Keraghosian)
The vibe: Classic
rural Colombia, and with the remote location here, you couldn’t ask for a more
tranquil setting. The country’s coffee region has been a UNESCO World Heritage
site since 2011, meaning you can expect to see the traditional Bahareque
elements here preserved, including bamboo and clay walls.
The hostel has a picturesque patio, kitchen, and store for
supplies. The guest house is by far the most plain-looking accommodation, with
a pool in front. The main house is a stunner, with a large lawn, pool, pond,
peacocks, iguanas in the trees, balconies on all sides with hammocks, and red
doors and red shutter windows for the rooms. After my breakfast I saw that the
resident white cat was cat-napping and was camouflaged in a white pillow. It’s
the kind of sight that’s guaranteed to make your friends jealous when you
Instagram it.
Say hi to some of the peacocks on site. (Photo: Greg Keraghosian)
The farm: The
entire property comprises over 200 acres in the Cordillera de los Andes, and
the farm produces 50 million cups of single origin coffee per year – a small
amount of Colombia’s production. Only in the last 10 years has Hacienda Venecia
been exporting its coffee, and the farm is UTZ certified for
sustainability practices.
The coffee experience:
You can learn about Colombian coffee from seed to drink here, and the
experiences are open to guests and non-guests.
Juan Pablo Echeverri, who runs the B&B and the family coffee farm. (Photo: Greg Keraghosian)
The coffee production area is just a short walk away from
the main house. You can get up close to see where the Arabica beans are picked,
washed, dried, and stored in giant sacks.
I attended a cupping workshop presided by Echeverri and one
of his assistants, where I learned about Colombia’s coffee trade (for instance,
virtually all the best coffee is exported), tried sorting the best beans, got a
test on how well I could recognize the beans’ smell, and even learned the
proper way to sip coffee.
Your third option is to take a barista class, where you can
learn about the different ways to brew your own cup, from French press to
Chemex, then learn how to make a floral cappuccino design. The instructor must
have been good, because even my design wasn’t a complete mess.
Learn to create designs like these at the in-house barista classes. (Photo: Greg Keraghosian)
The activities:
If lazing on a hammock or by the pool isn’t your thing, you can also go hiking
in the surrounding area, look for the 120 species of birds here, or go
horseback riding. Hostel guests have access to the pool and Wi-Fi at the guest
house.
The food: All of
my meals were traditionally Colombian, and they did not disappoint. My favorite
was probably the ajiaco, a chicken-and-potato soup.
What I loved: The
word “authentic” gets thrown around a lot in the travel world, but this truly
fits the definition. The farm doesn’t feel touristy at all, and the relaxing
surroundings here could calm down even the biggest caffeine high. The coffee
here is mighty good too, and you can buy some bags to take home with you.
Take a cat nap next to the resident cat at Hacienda Venecia. (Photo: Greg Keraghosian)
What you might not
love: When I stopped by the guest house, the common indoor area was
uncomfortably hot despite a fan blowing. Your best bet will be to either go
extra-budget and book a hostel room, or splurge for the main house. If you’re
truly looking for a five-star hotel experience, the main house’s older
furnishings and shared bathrooms won’t remind you of the Ritz-Carlton.
Also, the B&B’s delightful remoteness creates one problem: getting there. You could take a public bus from Manizales, though we have recently covered the dangers of public buses in Colombia. Your more expensive, but safer, bet is to take a taxi or drive there yourself.
The bottom line:
If you love coffee, you’ll want to reserve a hammock here.
WATCH: Unbelievable Drone Footage of Colombia’s Cocora Valley
Airports You’ll Enjoy Being Stranded at During Winter Storm Jonas
If you’re stuck in the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport, don’t panic: Just take the train 12 minutes to the Mall of America. (Photo: Jerry Huddleston/Flickr)
The Weather Channel
told you there would be days like this. A
massive storm is hitting the East Coast this weekend, and even if you’re
far away and looking to fly somewhere, you’re likely to be affected. Hundreds
of flights have been cancelled for Friday, and if you’re caught waiting for
hours at an airport, you’d better hope to have some great reading material or
have a coveted seat near a charging outlet.
On the other hand,
some airports are better to be stuck in than others. To that end, we’ve rounded
up some that will keep you entertained if you have to wait through Winter Storm Jonas, thanks to great food and
entertainment, and comfortable surroundings. You (almost) won’t want to leave.
Minneapolis-St. Paul International
This spa at Mall of America is just a 12-minute train ride away from the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport. (Courtesy: Solimar Spa)
Lots of airports have
shopping, but absolutely no one can
compete with the Mall of America. If
you’re snowed in, you need only take the light rail 12 minutes south and gorge
yourself upon enough shopping and entertainment to occupy yourself through
several storms. If you’ve been freezing all day, just warm yourself up at the
Mall’s Solimar
Spa.
At the airport
itself, you could also pass the time by purchasing a day pass at the Delta
and United
lounges.
New York-JFK
A burger (or two) from Shake Shack will make any layover more bearable. (Photo: Shake Shack JFK/Facebook)
The newly renovated Delta
Terminal 4 makes for some plush layover surroundings, and you could spend a
couple of days here just sampling the very legit eating options in JFK’s
different terminals. Of course you’re going to head to one of two Shake Shacks in
Terminal 4, but don’t forget to try the ribs at Blue Smoke on the Road, right
across from one of them.
Or why not gorge
on paella and ceviche in Terminal 5 at Piquillo, thought to be the first Spanish
tapas restaurant in an airport?
Newark Liberty International
Terminal C at Newark’s airport is worth hanging out in anytime. (Photo: redjar/Flickr)
No, we’re not
kidding. This airport has been rightly maligned for years, but the new, ultra-modern
Terminal C will change your mind about EWR. Have a Korean fried chicken
sandwich and a craft beer at Caps Beer Garden, or go fancy with escargot and
steak at Alain Ducasse’s Saison.
San Francisco International
Pull up a seat and relax in SFO’s Terminal 2, or go for yoga. (Photo: Sollina Images/Blend Images/Corbis)
Terminal 2, which
includes Virgin America, rightly gets most of the attention at San Francisco’s airport for its ample dining
options, comfortable furnishings, and its yoga room — the latter is perfect for
destressing on a layover.
If you’re in Terminal
1, you can make your own picnic at PIQ with gourmet bread, cheese, and snacks. At
Terminal 3, you can pass the time at the swanky Centurion Lounge if you own an
American Express Platinum or Centurion card. Other American Express
card-holders can pay $50 for a day pass.
Austin-Bergstrom International
Austin’s musical spirit extends to its airport, from the art to the live music. (Photo: Peter Tsai Photography/Alamy Stock Photo)
Austin is arguably
Music City (sorry, Nashville), and you don’t need to be in the city to enjoy
some sweet tunes — Saxon Pub in the East Concourse has live music and pub grub.
Meanwhile, Salt Lick Barbecue in the West Terminal will serve you a Texas-sized
plate of smoked meats.
Did someone say Cuban food? You’ll be glad your flight was delayed after eating at La Carreta. (Photo: La Carreta/Facebook)
Little Havana may
technically be a neighborhood in Miami, but you can pretend you went there just
by exploring this Cuban-inspired airport. La Carreta in Terminal D is a
favorite for fast-casual eating — try its Cuban sandwiches, Cuban flank
steak, or friend plantains.
Alternatively, you
can enjoy a mojito at the modern-themed Ku-Va in Terminal D, or have a
wine-and-cheese day at Beaudevin, also in Terminal D.
Detroit Metropolitan
Take a time-killing ride on the ExpressTram at Detroit’s airport. (Photo: Ilene MacDonald/Alamy Stock Photo)
Just getting around
this airport is fun, thanks to the ExpressTram
monorail, which connects the ends of McNamara Terminal, Concourse A – the world’s
second-longest airport concourse at almost a mile long. In that same terminal,
you can find some Zen by admiring the dancing fountain, which is meant to mimic
a flight map as it shoots streams of water.
Also, if you need to
stay overnight, it’s a breeze at Detroit’s airport: Just book a room at the
Westin inside the McNamara Terminal.
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San Francisco for the Super Bowl: Your Guide to Everything
This is what San Francisco’s Market Street will look like during the upcoming Super Bowl festivities. (Image courtesy Super Bowl 50 Host Committee)
The winner of the Super Bowl usually says they’re going to
Disney World. But even the Magic Kingdom would have a hard time competing with
the pomp and circumstance in the Bay Area during the week leading up to this
year’s big game.
About 70,000 people will attend Super Bowl 50 at
Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on Feb. 7, but for the many thousands more who
just want to be in town for it, the game itself is almost besides the point. Whether
you want to play virtual football with a giant avatar of yourself, see Alicia
Keys or Metallica in concert, or watch WWE wrestling in person, there’s an
event for you.
Whether you’re a die-hard NFL fan or just in it for the
party, here’s a guide for getting to and enjoying the Super Bowl festivities
like a winner.
Airfare and lodgings
If you thought the airline industry gouged college football fans before this
year’s national championship game, wait till you see the fare increases as soon
as this weekend’s AFC and NFC championship games are done and just two weeks
remain for the winners’ fans to make their travel plans to the Bay Area.
Hipmunk
conservatively estimates a 250 percent price increase in tickets for flights to
the three main Bay Area airports (San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland).
Factoring in the price for the eight cities whose teams remained in the
playoffs before last Sunday’s games, Hipmunk calculated an average airfare of
$383 before Jan. 24, and $957 afterward. Your best bet for a good deal will be
to fly into Oakland, though this will also make for a longer commute to the
game and to most other festivities.
What’s one possible way around this if your team is in the
final four? Buy your ticket before Sunday, and seek a refund, convert it
to a flight for a later date, or just fly out even if your team loses. As
you’ll see further down in this article, there will be plenty of distractions in
San Francisco to take the sting out of the defeat.
Prepare to have your hotel budget sacked during Super Bowl weekend. (Infographic: Hipmunk)
It should also be no surprise that local hotels are jacking
up their rates as the Super Bowl approaches. As Hipmunk’s data indicates, the
closer you get to the site of the game, the more you’ll pay. While San
Francisco hotel rates jump 96 percent — to $403 a night for Super Bowl weekend —
rates in Santa Clara and San Jose jump a whopping 317 percent, to $637 per
night.
But really, you’re only going to stay in the South Bay if
you’re going to the game, considering that most of the festivities are in San
Francisco. So your best bet is to look for an alternative lodging there with Airbnb, or go hunting for deals using the likes
of the last-minute booking app Hotel
Tonight or the deals site goSeek.
Looking on goSeek, we did find a $130 nightly rate at the
two-star Layne Hotel near Union Square in
San Francisco. It doesn’t have the best reviews, but if it’s still available, you
won’t beat the price.
The Hotel Zephyr at Fisherman’s Wharf is offering a “Hangover Helper” Super Bowl Package. (Photo courtesy Hotel Zephyr)
While it’s not a cheap rate, a decent value can be had at
the newly opened Hotel Zephyr at Fisherman’s Wharf. The hotel’s “Hangover
Helper” package goes for $669 per night for three nights, and includes two
Uber rides costing up to $50 each, a complimentary upgrade, and free Wi-Fi, plus two
“Never Too Hungover”
vitamin drinks meant to stave off hangovers, and additional Vitamin Water.
When you add up airfare, hotel, game tickets, and food,
Hipmunk estimates a Super Bowl visit will cost you between $6,189 and $7,207
per person. For that price, the winning team might as well size you for a
championship ring.
Play video games with yourself as the quarterback at the Fan Energy Zone. (Image courtesy Super Bowl 50 Host Committee)
The Super Bowl may be in Santa Clara, but San Francisco will
be the hub for most of the action during the lead-up to the game. The NFL has
never been about subtlety, so it’s no surprise there’s a dizzying array of
activities meant to appeal to fans of all ages with all interests.
Super
Bowl City is exactly that — the area around the Embarcadero and Justin
Herman Plaza will be a temporary NFL-sponsored enclave, with everything free to
the public. Even Tom Brady might have a hard time devising a game plan for
seeing it all, but here’s a rundown of what you can see:
The City Stage: Starting Jan. 30 with a show by
Chris Isaak, you can watch more than 35
live musical performances here. The headliner will be the free concert by
Alicia Keys on Super Bowl Eve, Feb. 6.
The Fan
Energy Zone: This may sound like a place to sell Red Bull, but it’s
actually a high-tech interactive gaming area. The 40-foot-tall Fan Dome will
include a video game where you play as a giant avatar of yourself, catching or
throwing passes and dodging defenders. Or you can strap on a virtual-reality
headset and play the QB challenge, where you’re the quarterback passing to your
heart’s delight without the threat of being sacked in real life.
CBS Sports broadcasts: Be at the CBS set
to watch interviews of experts and former players, and see how long you can
last before you make a funny face at the camera. Naturally, while here you can
also zipline on a replica Golden Gate Bridge.
Chevron STEM Zone: Don’t really care about the
game but want to get nerdy over football technology? This exhibit will cover
everything from advances in football equipment to broadcasting technology, and
you can see firsthand the difference between throwing a vintage football and a
modern one.
The Levi’s Lot: Of course you have to
shop for NFL-related gear while you’re out here. Levi’s, whose headquarters are
next door, will be selling limited-edition NFL-themed jackets and shirts.
If NFL City’s pomp and circumstance aren’t enough to
entertain you, just walk on down to the NFL
Experience at the Moscone Center. Here you can get autographs from current
and former NFL players, play pass-and-kick games, and get a picture with the
Vince Lombardi trophy.
The NFL Experience at Moscone Center will include skill games. (Courtesy Super Bowl 50 Host Committee)
If the thought of football makes you hungry, you can attend
the Taste of the NFL event
happening at San Francisco’s Cow Palace. The hefty ticket price — $700 — gets you gourmet food from one chef for all 32 NFL cities, plus photo ops
and autographs from a current or former player from each city. Third Eye Blind
will be performing, and proceeds from the event will help food banks around
the country.
Game tickets
And now for the most lucrative expense: The Super Bowl sold out a long time ago, which means you’re probably only looking to buy a ticket if
you have money to burn or you really
like one of the teams.
Of course, we won’t know who the teams are until after Sunday’s
conference championships, but considering this year’s game is in one of the
world’s richest metropolitan areas, expect to break the bank when cruising the
secondary market. Ticket aggregator TiqIQ
has gone on the record to say it estimates the average ticket price will be $4,500.
You might need to take out a second mortgage to get into Levi’s Stadium for the Super Bowl. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, File)
There’s a lot you
can do with that money other than craning your neck to see over the person with the
giant sign in front of you at the game. So budget accordingly.
Also, if you just want to party outside Levi’s Stadium
without a ticket, keep these facts in mind: You can’t board a VTA
train directly to the game because only ticket holders are allowed on. You
can take Caltrain,
but you’ll need an extra ride to get to the stadium. You can also take the Amtrak Capitol Corridor
train from Sacramento through the East Bay right to the stadium.
Driving to the game will be time-consuming (one to two
hours, depending on where you’re coming from), and you’ll have an $80 parking fee
to deal with too.
Finally, there are a limited number of seats available on the Super Bowl
Fan Express shuttle. The fare is $55 round trip.
Other stuff going on
There’s a whole lot more to check out in the Bay Area
whether or not you’re a sports fan. San Jose will officially kick off Super
Bowl week Feb. 1 with the Super Bowl 50
Opening Night, which will run for three hours at SAP Center and feature
interviews with players and coaches in the big game. Tickets cost $30.
If you can’t have football without beer, you’re in luck:
Jan. 22 to Jan. 31 marks SF Beer Week, with more than 750 events throughout the Bay Area.
Also in San Jose, the First Friday Art Walk along South
First Street will have a Super Bowl theme Feb. 5, and it’s free to all. And you
can witness some body-slamming a day early by attending the WWE
Road to Wrestlemania event Feb. 6, starring Brock Lesnar.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame has an exhibit in a Santa Clara museum before the Super Bowl. (Photo: Triton Museum of Art/Facebook)
In Santa Cara on Jan. 31, you can attend a free outdoor
concert by the classic rock band Heart at Mission College. And football buffs
can head to the Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara for an expansive Pro Football Hall
of Fame exhibit that includes more than 200 artifacts, plus rare photos and
documents.
And finally, like the Super Bowl, this concert is sold out,
but metalheads who don’t want to splurge on football can search, seek, and
destroy their wallets by scouring the secondary market for tickets to the
Metallica concert at San Francisco’s AT&T Park.
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